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Duke  University  Libraries 
Communication  f 
Conf  Pam  #424 

DTTOaEblDZ 


MESSAGE  OF  tHE  PRESIDENT. 

Richmond,  Va.,  Feb.  5,  1864. 

To  the  House  of  Representatives: 

In  response  to  your  resolution  of  the  25th  ultimo,  T  herewith 
transait,  for  your  informatiom,  a  communication  from  the  Secretary 
of  War,  relative  to  the  steps  tmken  to  carry  out  tire  provisions  of  the 
act  of  Congress  "  in  relation  to  the  arrest  and  disposition  of  slaves 
who  have  been  recaptured  from  the  enemy." 

•  »         *  JEFFERSON  DAVIS. 


COMMUNICATION  FROM  THE  SECRETARY  OF   WAR. 


C.  S.  A,,  War  Department,      ) 
Richmond,  Va.,  Feb.  3,  1864.  > 

To  the  President  of  tlie  Confederate  States: 

Sir:  Your  letter  of  the  30th  ultimo,  referring  to  this  Department 
a  resolution  of  the  House  of  Representatives,  requ?sting  to  be 
informed  "  what  steps  have  been  taken  to  carry  out  tlie  provisions  of 
the  act  of  Congress  of  the  13th  October,  1862,  ch.  Gi,  in  relation  to 
the  arrest  and  disposition  of  slaves  who  have  been  recaptured  from  the 
enemy,  what  number  of  depots  for  their  safe-keeping  have  been  estab- 
lished, and  whether  public  notice  has  been  given  in  the  newspapers  of 
their  arrest,  as  provided  in  the  said  act,"  has  been  received.  1  have 
the  honor  to  enclose  general  orders.  No.  25,  of  the  current  series, 
which  show  the  measures  taken  by  the  Department  for  the  execution 
of  the  act  of  Congress  cited.  There  has  beon  no  return  to  this 
Department  by  the  commandants  of  the  camps  of  iiistruction  of  their 
proceedings  under  these  orders.  Some  instances  of  publications  under 
the  third  paragraph  of  the  orders  have  come  to  the  nocice  of  tho 
Department,  and  the  orders  themselves  have  been  <luly  promulgated 
through  all  the  departments  and  districts  of  the  army. 
Very  respectfully, 

Your  obedient  servant, 

JAMES  A.  SEDDON, 
Secretary  of  War. 


Adjutant  and  Inspector's  Gfneral's  Office, 
Richmond,  March  6,  1863. 

GENERAL  ORDERS, 

No.  25. 

I,  The  following  act  of  Congress  and  regulations  to  enforce  the 
same,  aie  published  for  the  information  of  all  persons  concerned: 

Chap.  LXII. — An  cnt  to  prolrct  the  rights  -f  <tW7urs  of  slaves  taken  by 
or  employed  in  the  army. 

7*he  Congress  of  the  Conf  derate  States  of  America  d'^  enact.  That 
every  per.-on  connected  with  the  a*rmy  or  navy  of^the  Confederate 
States,  arresting  or  coming  into  possession  of  any  slave,  by  capture 
from  the  enemy,  or  otherwise  than  by  lawful  authority,  shall  imme- 
diately repoit  the  saiiie  to  the  commanding  officer  of  the  post  or  bri- 
gade or  station  to  which  he  may  be  attached.  The  said  commanding 
officer  shiill,  Avith  as  little  delay  as  practicable,  send  the  slaves  so 
reported  to  the  nearest  depot  described  in  the  next  section,  with  a 
regif^ter  of  the  place  and  date  of  their  arrest :  Provided,  tiow(ver.  That 
the  said  slaves,  or  any  of  them,  may  at  once  be  delivered  to  their 
respective  owners,  if  claim  is  made  and  established  on  satisfactory 
evidence. 

Sf.c.  '2.  The  Secretary  of  War  shall  establish  depots  for  recaptured 
slaves,  at  convenient  places,  not  more  than  five  in  number,  in  each 
State;  and  all  slaves  captured  in  such  State  shall  be  kept  in  such 
depot;.!.      Public  notice  shall  bo  given  of  the  places  so  selected. 

Sec.  3.  Lists  of  the  slaves  in  each  of  such  depots,  showing  the 
name  and  color  of  such  slaves,  the  place  and  time  of  their  an  est,  and 
the  names  of  their  owners^  as  given  by  themselves,  or  otherwise 
asccrtMiiied,  shall  be  regularly  advertised  in  each  State,  in  one  or 
more  newspapers  of  general  circulation. 

Sf.c  4.  Wliiie  such  slaves  are  in  depot,  they  may  be  employed, 
iin<ler  proper  guard,  on  public  works;  but  no  slave  shull  be  removed 
fiom  the  depot  to  \vhich  he  is  first  carried,  for  at  least  one  month  after 
the  first  advertisem'.-nt  of  his  being  there,  nor  then,  unless  an  exacc 
registfrJs  made  of  th;-  removal,  and  due  advertisement  made  in  the 
newspapers  af!  .-iforesaid. 

Skc.  5.  Free  access  shall  be  permitted  to  all  persons  desiring  to 
inspect  the  said  slaves  for  the  purpose  of  identifying  them  and  estab- 
lishing ownership;  and  upon  due  proof,  they  shall  be  immediately 
restored  to  the  persons  claiming  them. 

Six.  C.  Ic  shall  further  be  the  duty  of  1h::  Secretary  of  War  to 
r^  '.ire  the  names  of  all  slaves  in  the  employment  of  an  officer  or 
-  .  lier  of  the  Confederate  army  or  navy,  with  the  names  and  residence 
'A  their  owners,  and  of  the  person  by  whom  hired  out,  and  of  the 
.  liecr  or  soldier  hiring,  to  be  refortpd  to  his  department,  and  a  full 
legister  thereof  to  be  kept  for  public  inspection. 


Sec.  7.  The  President  shall  prescribe  regulations  for  carrying  this 
act  into  effect,  and  provide  for  the  subsistence  of  said  slaves  while  in 
such  depots.     [Approved  October  13,  1862.] 

11.  Depots  for  recaptured  slaves  are  hereby  established  at  the  fol- 
lowing places,  viz : 

At  the  Camp  of  Instruction  at  Richmond,  in  the  State  of  Virginia. 
''  "  «*  Petersburg,  "  *« 

*'  Dublin  Station,      "  •=♦ 

Raleigh,  «'  N.  Carolina. 

Columbia,  "  S.   Carolina. 

"  *'  "  Macon,  '         "  Georgia. 

**  "  "  Decatur,  "  " 

"  *'  "  Notasulga,  "  Alabama. 

,**  "  Talladega,  "  *' 

Tallahassee,  ''  Florida. 

*'  "  •'  Brookhaven,  •'  Mississippi. 

*'  "  "  Entcrprize,  •'  ** 

"  '*  "  Monroe,  "  Louisiana. 

"  •  "  Camp  Moore,  •*  " 

*•  "  New  Iberia,  "  " 

"  "  Houston,  *'  Texas. 

"■  '*  "  Knoxville,  *'  Tennessee. 

'•  '*  "  McMinnsville,        "  " 

"     -  **  "  Little  Rock,  "  Arkansas. 

III.  The  commandants  of  the  several  camps  of  instruction  will 
provide  necessary  quarters  for  all  negroes  sent  to  the  depots ;  will 
detail  sufficient  guards  for  their  safe  keeping;  provide  for  their  cus- 
tody, employment  and  subsistence  ;  require  full  and  accurate  registers 
to  be  kept,  and  advertisements,  as  prescribed  by  the  act  of  Congress, 
to  be  regularly  made,  and  afford  all  ficilities  to  claimants  to  establish 
their  ownership,  and  on  due  proof,  surrender  the  slaves  to  their 
owners.  / 

IV.  Commanding  generals  will  require  all  persons  connected  with 
the  army  to  make  immediate  report  of  all  slaves  arrested  or  coming 
into  their  possession;  and  if  claim  is  not  promptly  made  and  estab- 
lished by  the  owner,  will  send  such  slaves,  with  a  register  of  the  place 
and  date  of  their  arrest,  with  as  little  delay  as  practicable,  to  the 
nearest  depot  in  the  State  wherein  the  capture  is  made.  They  will 
also  require  all  oflicers  and  soldiers  now  employing  slaves,  forthwith 
to  report  the  same,  and  those  hereafter  employing  them,  within  ten 
days  thereafter,  with  the  names  and  residence  of  their  owners,  and  of 
the  person  by  whom  they  were  hired  out,  and  of  the  officer  or  soldier 
hiring,  and  return  such  reports  as  soon  as  received,  to  this  office;  and 
will,  in  all  other  respects,  enforce  from  the  officers  and  men  under 
their  command  a  strict  and  prompt  observance  of  the  requirements  of 
the  above  recited  act  of  Congress. 

By  order. 

S.  COOPER, 
Adjutant  and  Inspector  General. 


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